04.11.2017

Award Winners of DOK Leipzig 2017

The Romanian-born filmmaker Ana Dumitrescu has won the prestigious Golden Dove in the International Competition Long Documentary and Animated Film, granted by the Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR). In Licu, a Romanian Story, the former photojournalist films Liviu Canţer, aka Licu, as he shares his memories of the 20th century and all its extremes. In an intimate atmosphere, the 92-year-old talks of the war, expulsions and the post-communist era. During the course of the film, the director becomes more of a visitor than an observer and a relationship based on trust develops between her and her protagonist. The jury praised her approach: “This way goes directly to our hearts, creating a filmic journey which lasts only 86 minutes but for us it is a life lesson.”

The Golden Dove in the German Competition Long Documentary and Animated Film was awarded to the Israeli-German coproduction Muhi – Generally Temporary by Rina Castelnuovo-Hollander and Tamir Elterman. Muhi, a six-year-old boy was born in the Gaza Strip. He has an auto-immune disease and has spent most of his life in an Israeli hospital, accompanied by his grandfather. Even when his hands and feet are amputated, he demonstrates strength and optimism. The film was co-produced by the Leipzig-based production company Neue Celluloid Fabrik.

The South Korean director Boram Kim won the Golden Dove in the Next Masters Competition for Baek-gu. With the help of an old limping dog, the filmmaker becomes acquainted with the inhabitants of a calm district of Seoul, who all seem to live in separate worlds. The 20-year-old Norwegian filmmaker Maja Arnekleiv won the Golden Dove for the best animated documentary film for her debut Mum’s Hair. She captured the physical transformation of her mother – diagnosed with cancer – over two years. She then compiled over 2000 images to create a playful and personal montage of positive memories.

In the International Competition Short Documentary and Animated Film, the Portuguese filmmaker Mónica Martins Nunes won the Golden Dove for best short documentary for The Ashes Remain Warm, while Ehsan Gharib won the Golden Dove for best animated short film for Deyzangeroo, a Canadian production. Both can qualify for an OSCAR® (in the categories ‘Short Film’ and ‘Documentary Short Subject’) if they fulfill the Academy’s formal criteria.

The Golden Dove for the best German short documentary and animated film went to Mega Trick by Anne Isensee.

Wild Heart by Charly Hübner and Sebastian Schultz won four prizes (the most of the evening). The film is about the northern German punk band “Feine Sahne Fischfilet” and their campaign against right-wing extremism. It is due for release in Germany next April.

An overall total of 21 awards (comprising 73,500 euros) were awarded at this year’s International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film. Tomorrow (5 November), most of the award-winning films, as well as the audience favourites, will be screened again.